THE PORT AUTHORITY OF NY & NJ

Press Release Article

PORT AUTHORITY WILL RESUME AIRTRAIN NEWARK OPERATIONS ON THURSDAY, JULY 3, AHEAD OF SCHEDULE FOR HOLIDAY TRAVELERS USING NEWARK LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Date: Jul 02, 2014Press Release Number: 139-2014

Major rehabilitation work finished ahead of July 15th target date

AirTrain Newark will reopen Thursday to travelers in time for this weekend's busy extended Fourth of July holiday weekend, following the successful early completion of critical repair work over the past two months.

Service on AirTrain Newark will resume at 4:30 a.m. tomorrow with the resumption of service as well at the AirTrain station that links to New Jersey Transit and Amtrak trains along the Northeast Corridor Rail Line. AirTrain and the rail link station had closed since May 1 for repairs on the 6.3-mile long AirTrain system.

Substitute shuttle buses between Newark Penn Station and the airport's three terminals – which had provided alternative service the past two months – will remain available and continue to operate as necessary throughout the weekend, in case there are any lingering issues as AirTrain Newark resumes regular operations. The temporary bus service will cease at 5 a.m. on Monday, July 7.

"I want to thank all our customers for their patience while this work was done," Aviation Director Thomas L. Bosco said. "We did our best to minimize any inconvenience while using buses to transport our customers, but we recognize that it isn't as convenient as direct train service. I also want to thank officials at NJ Transit and Amtrak who provided vital support, and all our stakeholders who worked so hard to get the work done quickly while ensuring the temporary bus operation ran smoothly."

Newark Liberty is expected to handle more than 600,000 travelers through the six-day holiday period that runs between July 1 through July 6. Additional customer care representatives will be available at the airport during the holiday weekend to help answer travelers' questions and offer directions.

While the AirTrain remained structurally safe, signs of erosion – similar to roadway potholes -- had appeared on the running service that consists of a welded steel grid and epoxy grout. This damage required replacement of parts of the running surface. The work originally was scheduled to be completed by July 15, but the Port Authority and its contractor were able to accelerate the repair program, and also completed rehabilitation and heavy maintenance work on switches, rails and stations originally scheduled for later this year to avoid additional closures.

Since its opening in 1996 and subsequent extension to link it to the Northeast Corridor Rail Line with service to NJ Transit and Amtrak, AirTrain Newark has increasingly become the ground transportation mode of choice for Newark Airport's customers and employees. Millions of riders use the system annually to travel to, from and throughout the airport, including nearly 2.4 million who connected via the Northeast Corridor Rail Link Station in 2013.

CONTACT:Port Authority of New York and New Jersey212-435-7777

Founded in 1921, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey builds, operates, and maintains many of the most important transportation and trade infrastructure assets in the country. The agency's network of aviation, ground, rail, and seaport facilities is among the busiest in the country, supports more than 550,000 regional jobs, and generates more than $23 billion in annual wages and $80 billion in annual economic activity. The Port Authority also owns and manages the 16-acre World Trade Center site, where construction crews are building the iconic One World Trade Center, which is now the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere. The Port Authority receives no tax revenue from either the State of New York or New Jersey or from the City of New York. The agency raises the necessary funds for the improvement, construction or acquisition of its facilities primarily on its own credit. For more information, please visit http://www.panynj.gov.